In Canada, Social TV Viewers Tune In

Social TV apps still not popular

The convergence of TV and social networking is well underway in Canada, as consumers share comments and post clips on social sites, becoming mini-ambassadors for their favorite shows. Nearly three out of 10 internet users in the country considered themselves a “social TV viewer,” according to a Q2 survey from Solutions Research Group.

But where are users doing the bulk of their social TV posting? Not surprisingly, Facebook, at 31%, beat out Twitter as the top site for posting a comment. Twitter was not far behind, though, despite its penetration disparity with the social networking giant. One-quarter of those who had posted about a TV show reported that they had done so on the microblog.

And posting social updates about TV programs is not only about the immediate engagement of users. It can have a ripple effect after the show has aired, especially with the growth of online viewing and TV streaming via over-the-top (OTT) devices. Fifteen percent of respondents said they had ultimately watched a TV show after being prompted by a tweet.

What has been slower to catch on in Canada, however, are apps like Get Glue that allow users to “check in” to shows. Only 3% of social TV viewers had actually used the Get Glue app.

Facebook penetration in Canada is expected to reach 61% of internet users by the end of the year, according to eMarketer estimates, while Twitter will hover around 25%, according to InSites Consulting. With TV and social networking becoming more entangled, the call among media entities and advertisers to drive and harness social TV will only get more insistent.